A tumblr devoted entirely to reptiles, in the wild or in captivity as pets. The purpose of this blog is to inform people about reptiles - their habits in the wild as well as some snippets as to their care in captivity, and the unsuitability and ethics of keeping some species in captivity.

Since I have vary little knowledge of snake breeds, species etc. I was wondering if you would be able to identify a snake that my aquatic science teacher took care of when I was in highschool. The snake has a milky white head with three equally sized black lines going down the length of its body along with equally sized milky white line down the length of its body. I can try to provide a picture if nevessary. ^ ^''

Leopard Gecko Care

Leopard geckos are one of the best beginner reptiles to keep. They’re relatively easy to care for and if properly cared for can live to be 20-25 years! Of course, Leopard geckos are not for everyone. Just like other animals it is best to research and even handle some leopard geckos before deciding to bring home a leopard gecko. This will be a care guide that can also help you decide if this is really a pet you would like to add to your family.

I’ve been getting a lot of husbandry related questions recently(even t
hough the ask box is closed) and I am kind of worried about some and I haven’t been answering… The above care sheet is a great answer for many of your questions. The link below is also to a really nice care sheet. The geckos unlimited sheet is what got me through everything when I first started with Banunu!

A Beneficial Evolutionary Step for Chameleons

by Sindaya N. Bhanoo

Chameleons have five digits, but in each hand and foot, these digits are split into two “bundles.” The arrangement permits them to grasp branches and climb with ease, excellent adaptations for life in the trees.

Found in loose and moist soil, with rocky surfaces, this species is ovoviviparous (retaining the eggs internally in membranes, then giving birth the hatchlings, appearing very much like mammalian live birth). As with most amphisbaenians (legless worm lizards, this small species is carnivorous, though its diet is not well known.

Terrifically Tiny Turtles Hatch at the Houston Zoo

by Jackie Wallace

Houston Zoo is experiencing a baby boom. A very small baby boom of critically endangered, terrifically tiny turtles.

In late August, eight Madagascar big-headed turtle babies were found swimming in their parents’ home in the lemur moat at the zoo’s Wortham World of Primates. Also discovered was a pregnant mama turtle full of 20 eggs that she has since laid, which are expected to hatch in the next few months. The babies and eggs are currently being cared for behind-the-scenes…

PSA About Bearded Dragons

I am seeing so much stuff about bearded dragons lately, I thought I would directly discuss the issues I’ve been seeing. Please read and pass on to other bearded dragons owners.

Bearded dragons are very easy to care for, but I keep seeing misinformed people become defensive when they are told how they are keeping their animal is a risk to their health. No one is trying to attack you, suck up your pride and do what is best for your animal. Pets are a learning experience!

Once and for all sand is NOT okay for bearded dragons. When we think of desert dwelling animals we typically think of sand, but not all deserts are sand (Antarctica is a desert). In the wild, dragons are typically in trees, bushes, and solid ground, not sand, because there IS no sand
in their environment. Something like this:

They lick their environment (like many other reptiles) because they have scent receptors in the roof of their mouths, they are smelling, not tasting. So, while they smell they are also picking up anything small enough to attach to their sticky tongues. When sand is in their viv they are eating it. Bigger things like stones are much less likely to be ingested because they either wont fit into the dragons mouth or he will just spit it out. It’s not so easy to spit out sand, once it’s on his tongue there is really no getting it off alone.

Impaction is probably a word many dragon owners have heard, it is a condition where an animals digestive tract is blocked by a solid or semi-solid object. It can be caused by food that’s too large (which is why you never feed them food bigger than the space between their eyes), inadequate temperatures, and particle (sand/walnut shell) substrate. The
dust also causes respiratory and eye infections, as well as staining if the sand is colored.

I am seeing many owners saying things such as “my dragon has been on sand for four years without a problem.” While this may be true, not all problems are easily seen. As your dragon eats more and more sand the blockage will slowly grow, it can take up to ten years in some cases for any problems to show up. If not taken care of your dragon will die, and you are looking at an extremely hefty vet bill.

While we are on the topic of money, newspaper, tile, and reptile carpet are much cheaper than sand. Tile and carpet doesn’t need to be replaced, just wiped or washed, and newspaper can even be free if you get ads in the mail! Sand will eventually need to be replaced when it gets gross. There are reptile hammocks available so your animal has somewhere soft to go (although they live on hard ground their entire lives in the wild, I doubt they will care how it feels).

Do not leave you dragon unattended with insects. Crickets will EAT you
r dragon if they are not eaten first. Tank feeding is usually a huge no-no as well. Unless you know the exact amount of insects you are putting in I would choose another tank, plastic bin, or bathtub for feeding. Crickets can easily hide and if you leave them alone they can bite your dragon and cause an infection. These lizards are very heavy sleepers and probably wouldn’t wake up from a cricket bite.

Do not use heat rocks as a heat source or at all. Dragons have very sensitive bellies and cannot judge how much heat is coming off of the rock. They can easily burn their soft underbellies. They also need a source of UVB light to make vitamin b, and heat rocks do not provide that, they also do not heat up the entire tank. Real rocks or even bricks are fine as a resting place, in fact they love to lay on them in the wild. They also help dull their nails!

Do not house multiple dragons together. If you have ever seen two or more dragons togeth
er and they seem to be ‘cuddling’ this is actually a form of dominance behavior (seen in dragons as young as 3-5 months) and they are actually trying to steal the light from the other animal.

Do not interpret behavior of other species to be accurate for all animals. Cats and dogs curled up together is normal, dragons laying together is not. Dragons are NOT social animals. When a fight breaks out one of the lizards could end up missing a toe, an entire foot, or even die. EVE
N IF THE ANIMALS GREW UP TOGETHER A FIGHT CAN HAPPEN. Unless you are trying to breed, do not keep or put them together. Even when breeding they should not be left alone together.

Please pass this message on to bearded dragon owners. It is important to know how to properly care for your animals. Do deep research before purchasing any animal, and NEVER listen to what pet store employees tell you. Although some may really know what they are talking about, typically they are just educated on the manual they were given when they were hired which contains the wrong information. Double check everything when it comes to animals, DO WHATS BEST FOR THEM!

Alternatively, when feeding crickets make sure they are gut loaded (essentially, feed the crickets before offering them to your reptile). If there’s fresh food in the enclosure it’s unlikely that any live food insects will pester your reptile.

Also known Western Plated Lizard, Great Plated Lizard, or the Rough-scaled Plated Lizard. The Sudan plated lizard is a species of Gerrhosaurid lizard that is native to southern Africa. Sudan plated lizards are typically active during the day, and are commonly encountered in rocky deserts as they prefer rocky cervices. Sudan plated lizards are omnivorous in nature, feeding on a range of veg
etable matter, insects, and rarely a small vertebrate.

Classification

Animalia-Chordata-Reptilia-Squamata-Lacertilia-Gerrhosauridae-Gerrhosaurus-G. major

Taylor’s Fat-tailed Gecko (Hemitheconyx taylori)

This small gecko, family
Eublepharidae, is found in arid habitats in the horn of Africa, Somalia and Ethiopia. As with other fat-tailed geckos, this species stores fat in its tail to help it through lean times, and as with other geckos in its family, this lizard has eyelids (unlike most geckos in the family Geckonidae).

Climbing Chameleons

One of the most distinctive traits found within Chamaeleonidae is their split/cleft
autopodia and the simplified and divergent morphology of the mesopodial skeleton. These anatomical characteristics have facilitated the adaptive radiation of chameleons to arboreal niches.

To better understand the homology of chameleon carpal and tarsal elements, the process of syndactyly, cleft formation, and how modification of the mesopodial skeleton has played a role in the evolution and diversification of chameleons, we have studied the Veiled Chameleon (Chamaeleo calyptratus). We analysed limb patterning and morphogenesis through in situ hybridization, in vitro whole embryo culture and pharmacological perturbation, scoring for apoptosis, clefting, and skeletogenesis.

Furthermore, we framed our data within a phylogenetic context
by performing comparative skeletal analyses in 8 of the 12 currently recognized genera of extant chameleons…

A common defense strategy for this snake
is to play dead or flatten and raise its head like a cobra. This one
chose the former and apparently never broke character. They are mildly
(rear-fanged) venomous, but pose no serious threat to humans.